In the early morning of 14 Oct 1942, the Newfoundland Railway passenger/rail ferry, S. S. 'Caribou', was sailing across the Cabot Strait when it was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat; it had sailed from Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada, on the evening of 13 Oct and was heading for Port-aux-Basques, Newfoundland. Aboard were 192 passengers (armed forces personnel, as well as civilians), a crew of 46, some livestock, rail cars and other cargo. The island of Newfoundland, a sea-faring country which was still a British colony at that time, was in a strategic location during WWII because it was so close to Canada. There were several military bases on the island where Canadian, British and American personnel were stationed; these servicemen often travelled on the ferries between Newfoundland and Canada.
Of the 46 crew members of the S.S. 'Caribou', 31 died, including her captain and his two sons. Of the 118 Canadian, British and American armed services personnel, 57 died. And of the 74 civilians aboard the 'Caribou' that early morning, 49 perished. 136 people in all were lost.
U.S. Army Major Abernathy was one of the armed services personnel passengers, aboard the S.S. 'Caribou', who perished at sea. His body was recovered, returned to the United States where it was interred, with full military honours, at the Arlington National Cemetery.
Information courtesy of Find A Grave contributor SJ Hearn
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Victim, Body #33, Aged 37
Fort Lauderdale, FL. b. 1933 in Tracy City, TN. University of Florida grad, A.B., and L.L.B. Previously executive officer in 104th infantry, assigned to special duty in Nfld. Married (wife in Arkansas) father, James G. Abernathy Sr. lived 213 SW Ninth Ave. Fort Lauderdale. His body was delivered to Major Cassidy on Oct. 16, 3:45 p.m. and taken to Stephenville by train. He was buried in Harmon Field, Newfoundland. He was awarded the Purple Heart on Dec. 22, 1942.
Contributor: Jimmy Cotton (48803557)
Of the 46 crew members of the S.S. 'Caribou', 31 died, including her captain and his two sons. Of the 118 Canadian, British and American armed services personnel, 57 died. And of the 74 civilians aboard the 'Caribou' that early morning, 49 perished. 136 people in all were lost.
U.S. Army Major Abernathy was one of the armed services personnel passengers, aboard the S.S. 'Caribou', who perished at sea. His body was recovered, returned to the United States where it was interred, with full military honours, at the Arlington National Cemetery.
Information courtesy of Find A Grave contributor SJ Hearn
~~~~
Victim, Body #33, Aged 37
Fort Lauderdale, FL. b. 1933 in Tracy City, TN. University of Florida grad, A.B., and L.L.B. Previously executive officer in 104th infantry, assigned to special duty in Nfld. Married (wife in Arkansas) father, James G. Abernathy Sr. lived 213 SW Ninth Ave. Fort Lauderdale. His body was delivered to Major Cassidy on Oct. 16, 3:45 p.m. and taken to Stephenville by train. He was buried in Harmon Field, Newfoundland. He was awarded the Purple Heart on Dec. 22, 1942.
Contributor: Jimmy Cotton (48803557)
In the early morning of 14 Oct 1942, the Newfoundland Railway passenger/rail ferry, S. S. 'Caribou', was sailing across the Cabot Strait when it was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat; it had sailed from Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada, on the evening of 13 Oct and was heading for Port-aux-Basques, Newfoundland. Aboard were 192 passengers (armed forces personnel, as well as civilians), a crew of 46, some livestock, rail cars and other cargo. The island of Newfoundland, a sea-faring country which was still a British colony at that time, was in a strategic location during WWII because it was so close to Canada. There were several military bases on the island where Canadian, British and American personnel were stationed; these servicemen often travelled on the ferries between Newfoundland and Canada.
Of the 46 crew members of the S.S. 'Caribou', 31 died, including her captain and his two sons. Of the 118 Canadian, British and American armed services personnel, 57 died. And of the 74 civilians aboard the 'Caribou' that early morning, 49 perished. 136 people in all were lost.
U.S. Army Major Abernathy was one of the armed services personnel passengers, aboard the S.S. 'Caribou', who perished at sea. His body was recovered, returned to the United States where it was interred, with full military honours, at the Arlington National Cemetery.
Information courtesy of Find A Grave contributor SJ Hearn
~~~~
Victim, Body #33, Aged 37
Fort Lauderdale, FL. b. 1933 in Tracy City, TN. University of Florida grad, A.B., and L.L.B. Previously executive officer in 104th infantry, assigned to special duty in Nfld. Married (wife in Arkansas) father, James G. Abernathy Sr. lived 213 SW Ninth Ave. Fort Lauderdale. His body was delivered to Major Cassidy on Oct. 16, 3:45 p.m. and taken to Stephenville by train. He was buried in Harmon Field, Newfoundland. He was awarded the Purple Heart on Dec. 22, 1942.
Contributor: Jimmy Cotton (48803557)
Of the 46 crew members of the S.S. 'Caribou', 31 died, including her captain and his two sons. Of the 118 Canadian, British and American armed services personnel, 57 died. And of the 74 civilians aboard the 'Caribou' that early morning, 49 perished. 136 people in all were lost.
U.S. Army Major Abernathy was one of the armed services personnel passengers, aboard the S.S. 'Caribou', who perished at sea. His body was recovered, returned to the United States where it was interred, with full military honours, at the Arlington National Cemetery.
Information courtesy of Find A Grave contributor SJ Hearn
~~~~
Victim, Body #33, Aged 37
Fort Lauderdale, FL. b. 1933 in Tracy City, TN. University of Florida grad, A.B., and L.L.B. Previously executive officer in 104th infantry, assigned to special duty in Nfld. Married (wife in Arkansas) father, James G. Abernathy Sr. lived 213 SW Ninth Ave. Fort Lauderdale. His body was delivered to Major Cassidy on Oct. 16, 3:45 p.m. and taken to Stephenville by train. He was buried in Harmon Field, Newfoundland. He was awarded the Purple Heart on Dec. 22, 1942.
Contributor: Jimmy Cotton (48803557)
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